CCSD Journal

Crook County School District is gearing up for a new math curriculum adoption. Families and community members are welcome to review the options and share their feedback. Three stations have been set up at the District Office by grade level: elementary, middle, and high school. Teachers and principals are also looking through the options and will provide recommendations.

If you'd like to review the math curriculum, contact Nikki Gorski at the District Office to make an appointment. We've also scheduled Math Curriculum Review nights coming up in March and April.

Nikki Gorski

(541) 447-5664

nikki.gorski@crookcountyschools.org

Have you ever wondered what CTE stands for? If you graduated high school more than 20 years ago, you likely refer to career classes as Vocational Ed or shop. CTE is short for Career Technical Education, and Crook County School District is proud to offer the most robust CTE program in Central Oregon.

Crook County High School has nine study areas: Ag Science, Natural Resources, Construction, Manufacturing, Robotics & Computer Science, Graphic Design, Business, Culinary Arts, and Health Science. We've expanded CTE into elementary schools with Lego robotics kits and basic coding instruction. Students at Crook County Middle can take woodshop, engineering, and robotics. There's also a classroom dedicated to career exploration where students can learn about small motors, 3D printing, forensics, nursing, home repair, and many others.

These programs are supported financially by Meta and allow our students to experience hands-on classes that teach basic life skills and prepare them for college and the workforce.

Strong seasons push the Cowgirls' and Cowboys' basketball teams into the post-season.

The Cowboys won the 2023 Tri-Valley League Championship with a 9-1 record in league play. They'll host a 1st-Round Playoff game on Saturday, March 4th. The opponent and game time will be determined next week. Meanwhile, the Cowgirls finished 6-4 in league play and will host a play-in game at CCHS this Saturday, February 25th, at 2pm against Phoenix High School.

Let's pack the gym! 🏀🏀🏀

You'll notice a familiar theme if you visit classrooms in our elementary schools. Students spend time every day focused on reading, writing, and math. In Mrs. Thran's class, 1st graders use paper clips or small blocks to recognize units of measurement. Whiteboards and markers allow students in Ms. Shelley's class to work alongside her on subtraction. And Ms. Zacharias gets kids moving with a Trick Words Drill, where she points to a word, and students have to sound it out. They get to pet the class owl if the answer is correct! 🦉

We're also fortunate to have an incredible group of retired volunteers who visit our schools and read with students who need extra help. The intention of SMART Reading is to positively impact reading scores by providing early support, access to books, and community engagement.

Is there anything more calming than a cute dog?

Coco and Linda are certified therapy dogs who bring joy to Steins Pillar and Barnes Butte Elementary Schools. Their work is super important. They help students having a bad day or when they're struggling with sensory or emotional difficulties. These amazing pups are calming forces and often the unsung heroes in our schools. We are so fortunate to have them! 😊

Congratulations to Senior Drew Williams, who will represent CCHS at the state Poetry Out Loud competition on March 11th! Drew won the CCHS contest and competed on February 22nd in the Oregon Poetry Out Loud Semi-Finals against 22 other students across the state, placing in the top 12.

Joana Villagomez is also competing at the state Thespian Festival for Musical Theatre, which means two CCHS students will represent the arts at a state level for CCHS. 👏

The Next Step Transitions program at CCHS has been blessed by an incredibly generous donation of $600 from Cierra Hensley and Amanda Heine, the owners of Legacy Dance Company in Prineville.

The Next Step program is an extension of the life skills class at CCHS. The goal is to equip students with the skills they need to live independently, work, and be positive community members. You may recognize this awesome group of young adults by their business aliases (Flower Friends and Cowboy Custom Designs), two school-based projects they run.

Fortis Construction surprised the Family Access Network with a $10,000 check to help serve Crook County students and families. FAN connects local families to important resources like school supplies, food, clothing, heating assistance, shelter, health services, positive youth development, and transportation. ⠀ ⠀

This generous donation will allow our local FAN advocates - Vanessa Nolen and Brenda Boback - to help more students and ensure they have the basic resources to succeed in school and life. 👍🙏

• Feb. 25th | Girls Basketball Play-in, 2pm

• March 4th | Boys Basketball Playoff Game, TBD

• March 17th | No School - Grading Day

• March 27th - 31st | Spring Break

Email: info@crookcountyschools.org
Website: www.crookcountyschools.org
Location: 471 Ochoco Plaza Drive, Prineville, OR, USA
Phone: (541) 477-5664